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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Veggie Gnocchi Casserole (Meatless Monday Menu)

How many of you have experienced the budget savings of the
Aldi food stores?I was able to purchase
a package of 4 zucchini for .99 cents, a bag of mixed sweet peppers for $1.79,
an 8oz package of baby Bella mushrooms for .79 cents, and a 3lb bag of sweet
onions for only $1.39.I also picked up
a jar of marinara sauce, a bunch of celery, and a package of whole wheat gnocchi.These are just some of the massive savings
that Aldi provides, but these items were important for my Meatless Monday Meal!

Chop and prepare all veggies, spray a casserole dish with
non-stick coating, and heat a pot of water to boiling as per package direction
for the gnocchi all prior to heating the skillet.

In a large skillet add and heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium high
heat.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add onions, celery, peppers, some salt and pepper.Cook and stir for about five minutes.

Next, add zucchini, mushrooms, and the remaining oil to the
skillet. Cook and stir for another five minutes.

Reduce heat to simmer; add sauce and chopped spinachNOTE- A dash of water (or red wine) may be needed to thin a bit.Stir frequently to keep from burning.

In the meantime, add about a tsp. of salt to the boiling
water (not the sauce!). Add the gnocchi to the boiling water.When the water returns to a boil cook the
gnocchi for two minutes.Remove
immediately with a slotted spoon and place the gnocchi into the skillet with the
sauce.Stir to mix all ingredients well.

Pour the mixture into your casserole dish.Top with the mozzarella cheese and cover.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.This recipe makes 5 servings at approximately 350 calories or less. I went a little higher on the number SparkPeople gave for the nutritional value to allow for a little wine in the mixture. Don't add more than a couple ounces though.